Hopkins, MN –  The high school hockey game of the week on Sports Radio 105 The Ticket did not disappoint as a pair of up-and-coming teams played out a tense and hotly contested game at the Hopkins Pavilion.  The Hopkins Royals earned a hard fought 3-1 win over the Robbinsdale Armstrong/Cooper Wings on Thursday night before a capacity crowd.

The Royals (7-1) jumped out to a 2-0 lead and took control of the game in the first period.  After junior Nathan Nelsen rang one off the post just :15 into the game, Defenseman Austin Fisher delivered a seeing-eye shot from the left point for his 4th goal of the season on the power play at 11:46.  The Royals entered the game with a 34% conversion rate on the power play and illustrated why it is so effective.  Clean breakouts coupled with creative offensive zone play kept the Wings on their heals when short handed in the first period and Hopkins was rewarded.

Hopkins goalie Josh Kuemichel made 23 saves in the game, none bigger than a short handed break away by the prolific goal scoring Trey Rooney of the Wings.  That save quickly converted moments later into Laven’s first goal who scored on the the power play as well.

Laven’s marker was his first of two goals on the game that 2-0 lead.  The Wings (3-2) pressed forward after the goal and took advantage of three straight Royals penalties to gather their game and found an offensive flow.  It carried over into the second period where they cut the margin in half to 2-1 on Will Lawson’s goal from the low slot area.

At one point, according to Sports Radio 105 The Ticket color commentator Bart Archer, the third period took on a section playoff feel.  The pace was crisp and the compete level that both coaches feel is high for their teams was on full display.

Laven scored his second of the game and 8th of the season late in the third period to give the Royals the two goal cushion and final margin.  Players such as Thomas Barber, Nick Holsher, and Cory Gilbert were creating turnovers and scoring chances for the Wings throughout the game.

Jonah Shoemaker-Gagnon was named the Let’s Play Hockey player of the game.  He assisted on Laven’s first and led his Royals team in blocked shots, hits, killed penalties with effectiveness and changed the tempo of the game with his skating created plenty of space for scoring chances.  He was welcomed back to the  Royals lineup after being out with an ‘upper body’ injury.

The Wings open Northwest Suburban West conference play on Saturday against Irondale at 3pm from the New Hope Ice Arena.  The Royals are off until next Thursday when they travel to face Spring Lake Park at Fogarty Arena in Blaine.

Be sure to listen live to ‘On the Ice’ hockey show every Saturday morning at 9am on Sports Radio 105 The Ticket.  Next week’s game of the week will feature the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks and the Edina Hornets from the Edina Holiday Classic.  The game time is slated for 8pm and can be heard on Sports Radio 105 The Ticket.

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